NGE: I'm Needed
by Devaro Ayanami
Summary: AU. Asuka, First Children and guardian of 10yr-olds Shinji and Rei, wakes from a nightmare that ends with a teenaged Shinji trying to choke her, and tries to keep what she saw from coming true. Rated: T for violence and some language. Genre may change.
1. Return, Just a Dream?

**Neon Genesis Evangelion:**

_I'm Needed_

_By_Devaro Ayanami

**Disclaimer: **I do not own NGE or any of its characters, though I wish I had an Eva. I am not making any money, this is just for fun.

Chapter 1

**Return / Just a Dream?**

Awareness flowing back into her slightly faster than she was running out of air, Asuka focused on Shinji's face. Such hate, focused solely on her. His fingers, which she once thought looked so soft and deft when she watched him play his cello, where now closed around her throat, crushing the life from her much more easily than she thought possible.

_Why... Why does he want me dead?_

Images flash through her mind, reminding her of the dream within Instrumentality. Mocking him, jabbing at him...

_I couldn't be why! HE left ME! He did THAT near me! He's disgusting- _

More images flash by, showing her again how she antagonized him and ran from him before, and how she turned her back on him after. Showing Asuka her part in Gendo's plans, in the fall of humanity, and in Shinji's fall.

Realization slowly dawned on her. She had been a puppet, a doll, just like Rei. She had been manipulative of Shinji, just like Gendo. She had helped to break Shinji as surely as Kaworu.

_But... I..._her air running out, she reached a hand up, slowly brushing Shinji's cheek, _I'm sorry... I..._

Shinji released his grip on her neck, allowing her to breath. Several tears fell onto her face, before he collapsed on top of her starting to sob. For her part, she felt disgusted with herself. She couldn't believe how easily she had been maneuvered.

_Though... _she mused, disgustedly, _even if I had seen the signs, I'd have refused to acknowledge them. My pride..._

"Kimochi wari..." she muttered to herself...

Then blinked, confused, as she suddenly found herself looking up at a ceiling that wasn't there a moment before with both eyes, as well as feeling Shinji's weight vanish from her stomach and chest. After a moment she sat up, feeling no pain from her arm or stomach, her red hair falling behind her, her vision clear. Looking around hurriedly, she notes her closet and desk, as well as several boxes of her things that she couldn't fit into the closet. A glance at the clock tells her that it is 3am and the calender above the clock notes it is a Saturday.

_What... what was that?_ She thinks, her mind a little hazy, _A nightmare...? No... it... it was real... but this is real too..._

She gets out of bed, wearing not her plugsuit but her normal sleepwear of shorts and an over-sized t-shirt. As she hurries to the door she notes the room seems larger than she remembers, then opens the door. Stepping out of the bedroom she finds herself immediately in the living room, not the hallway between her and Shinji's rooms.

_What the hell?!?_ _What am I doing staying in Misato's room!?!_

Asuka looks over the living room and spots a sofa next to her door, then walks to the kitchen and looks in it as well, noting the lack of PenPen's icebox. A quick search of the apartment, minus her and Shinji's rooms, reveals that there is not a single trace of the Major in the apartment at all. A quick glance in the bathroom mirror shows she is still herself, though her A10-clips are conspicuously missing from her hair.

She walks down the short hall and stands in front of Shinji's room. On the door is a small craft-paper sign which reads: Shinji's Lovely Suite, written in very precise kanji.

_I should... probably check on the baka..._ she reasoned.

Taking a deep breath in an attempt to clear her mind, she opens the door and peeks in. She finds the same small space she remembers, a window in the wall to the left, perpendicular to the door.

Lying on the bed, sleeping peacefully with his head towards the window, is a small child with brown hair. Asuka blinks at this discovery, wondering why a little kid is sleeping in Shinji's bed, before a hazy memory clears.

_No way! I... I better check my room..._ she thinks to herself.

Asuka steps back, and turns and opens her room's door. Inside, she sees a rather spartan space, containing only a bed, a dresser, and a desk, cello, and violin near the window. In the bed is a little girl with light blue hair.

_No way! This isn't..._

A second memory surfaces as her mind starts to race, and she runs for Misato's room, now her room. Running to the desk, she opens the top drawer and looks for a folder that she was remembering contained information on Shinji, Rei, and herself. Finding the folder, she opens it to find only six pages.

On the first is a notice recording her status as a special condition guardian by order of Nerv. The next two are custody documents, stating that Shinji Ikari and Rei Ikari are under her protection. The last few contain other small pieces of information.

Asuka stares at them for several minutes, thinking over what they might represent as her mind struggles to clear.

_Ok, so I'm the guardian for a couple ten year-old kids, I'm still fifteen, and, _another memory clears, _Misato is in Germany... Great! Just great!_

Asuka storms out of her room and falls on to the couch which sits next to her door.

After a staring at the ceiling for several minutes trying to think of what she should do once morning comes around, she hears the familiar sound of a door sliding open coming from the hallway.

Turning her head, Asuka sees the ten year old girl walk out of the hall and slowly make her way straight towards the couch, stepping around a couple floor-pillows and rubbing her eyes as she goes. She freezes in place when she finally looks up and spots Asuka already occupying it.

Staring at each other for several seconds, Rei finally speaks up in her soft voice.

"Why are you awake, Soryu-san?" she asks, one small eyebrow arched in curiosity.

"I could ask you the same thing, Ayanami." Asuka replies quietly, smirking slightly as she sits up, hazily remembering another Rei. "And I'm sure I told you to call me Asuka."

"I... I could not sleep." Rei says, uncertainty creeping into her voice and face as she looks to the ground. Asuka's mind instantly clears, her memories returning and clearing, and the thoughts and images she awoke with fade into a haze.

"A nightmare?" Asuka asks, and upon receiving a nod from the girl she reached out and picked her up, setting Rei on her lap. She remembers what particular nightmare was troubling her. One similar to those which had sometimes bothered her all to often here, and there.

"Don't worry Rei. I may have been a bi-... a witch about it when the Commander first assigned you two under my care." she said with a slight apologetic smile,

"But I'm not gonna leave you." she declared, "What would they say about the Great Asuka Langley Soryu if she abandoned two kids?" Asuka finished with a smirk.

"I know, but I am not the one you should be telling this to, Sor-... Asuka" Rei, obviously at least partly lying, replied matter-of-factly, "It is Shinji-kun who fears you will not return."

Rei's statement made Asuka pause for a moment. She knew Shinji was insecure, she had finally read the psych-files she was given before going to bed. _It was one of the things that always made me ticked off_, a thought drifted up from the dream, startling her. But that Rei seemed to be lying about not missing her startled her, and reminded her that this Rei was not like in her dream, not cold or seeming to lack emotion. And that there were no other Pilots right now.

"You know...I'm gonna take you guys for some ice cream tomorrow. What do ya say to that?" She asked after a moment, only to be met by Rei's soft breathing. Glancing down, Asuka realized she must have paused longer than she thought, and Rei had fallen asleep in her arms. She smiled, deciding that her mystery could wait until tomorrow, and carefully carried Rei back to her bed and laid her in it.

It surprised her how responsible she felt for the two children. Perhaps she thought, by caring for them without help, she could show she was a responsible adult and could stand on her own.

_After all, I don't need anyone else. _she thinks as she absently brushed her hand over Rei's mop of blue hair.

_But... it's nice when others need you..._

And perhaps, to try and avoid the shattered children from her dream.

Getting up, Asuka left the bedroom. As she closed the door she heard the one behind her slide open. Turning, she found Shinji standing behind her with his eyes to the ground. After a moment Asuka sighed, and slowly walked back into the living room and stands in front of the couch.

"Come on, Shinji, it's ok." She said tiredly, and watched him slowly walk out of the hall and up to her, his eyes on the ground most of the way. Glancing up to her face as he reaches her, he spoke.

"Soryu-san... are... will you... always come back?" He asked hesitantly.

Asuka blinked, mildly surprised that timid Shinji had actually voiced his concern to her. Smiling, she nodded her head.

Asuka held her hands out, leaving the invitation open to him for the same thing she had done for Rei. She was again mildly surprised as Shinji did not hesitate at all, and almost leaped into her arms, wrapping his small limbs tightly around her waist. Sitting and putting him on her lap, she gently brushes back his hair, just like with Rei, and he relaxes. Before he can fall asleep, she speaks.

"Hey, Shinji," she says quietly.

"Hmm? …Soryu-san?" Shinji replies drowsily, having begun to drift off.

"Two things, then I'll let you sleep. First, call me Asuka. And second, tomorrow, I'm gonna take both of you out for some ice-cream. Ok?"

"Ok, Sor- ...er, A-Asuka. Does Rei-chan know? Can I tell her tomorrow?" he asks, almost sounding eager.

"Of course you can tell her, little baka-Shinji. She was asleep before I could say anything." Asuka says, her smile taking away any sting from her calling him stupid.

"Now, back to bed for you, Herr Shinji. It's late, and we should be asleep." she said with mock annoyance, standing and setting Shinji on the floor.

Both of them yawning, Asuka leads Shinji back to his room and packs him into bed. Wishing him a good night, she goes back and lays down in her own bed.

Her memories clear and her dream starting to go hazy, Asuka tries to straighten out what she can remember of it.

_No... it wasn't real... Shinji is only ten after all. _sighing, Asuka tries for a few more moments to recapture the feeling of reality the dream had given her, but can't. She also fails to get rid of the feeling that the dream was important somehow.

_I'll just have to keep an eye out... make contingency plans in case any of it does come true. If it was like a vision or something, then I'll be prepared._

As she drifts back to sleep, she remembers that the chief scientist was going to call tomorrow and schedule her first synch-test here. Hoping it won't interfere with her plans like the synch-tests in her dream did, she falls asleep.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

AN:  
This is the first page of my first multi-chapter story. I'm going to go for the whole series.  
I intended to write several chaps before slowly uploading them about one a week, but before I go to Basic I wanted to get the first chap up, so here it is. Hope you enjoyed it, and helpful reviews are welcome.

Keep Strong!  
DA


	2. First Day, First Children

**Neon Genesis Evangelion:**

_I'm Needed_

_By_ Devaro Ayanami

**Disclaimer: **I do not own NGE or any of its characters. I am not making any money, this is just for fun.

Proofread by SithKnight-Galen. Thanks for the help!

Chapter 2

**First Day / First Children**

-_Beep-... -Beep-... "The time is seven A.M."... -Beep-... -Bee__**-**__- -Crash-!_

Pulling her hand back under the covers, Asuka opens her eyes. Sun light enters the room, revealing the mess of clothes and a few magazines on her floor. Groaning, she sits up and rubs her eyes, blinking them a few times as she tries to remember what had bothered her last night. As nothing but her promise of afternoon ice cream comes to mind, she stands and walks to her closet to grab clothes before taking a shower.

Exiting the bathroom, she walks into the kitchen to find both Shinji and Rei already sitting at the table with bowls of rice and leftover Miso soup from dinner in front of them. Noting the third bowl, Asuka smiles and sits as well.

"Thanks, Shinji!" she says brightly, digging in to her simple breakfast.

"Rei-chan helped." Shinji says, glancing at the aforementioned girl, who blushes slightly while continuing to eat.

"Thank you, Rei." Asuka says, glancing up. She blinks, as for a moment it looked like Rei had red eyes instead of blue.

"Is something wrong Asuka?" Rei says, noticing the stare.

"No, nothing." Asuka says and finishes her breakfast.

While Shinji and Rei double team the dishes, Asuka goes to her room to look for her neural-clips. Searching her bed and desk, she finally finds them on the floor beside her bed. Placing them in her hair, she walks back into the living room just as the phone rings. As she walks into the kitchen, Rei answers it.

"Hello, Soryu Ikari residence." She says, then listens. Nodding to Asuka, she says, "Just a moment please, Dr. Akagi."

She takes the phone, nodding to Rei and Shinji.

"Hello." She says.

"Hello Asuka, It's Dr. Akagi, I need you to come in at ten for your re-activation test with Unit-02."

"Sure. I'll be there." she glances back at the kids before continuing slightly haughtily, "It's not gonna be long, right? I've got plans for the afternoon."

"That depends on how well you synch-" Akagi starts, but is interrupted by Asuka.

"Then not long at all. I'll see you at ten."

"At ten. Goodbye Pilot Soryu."

"Bye!" She says brightly, then hangs up before turning to the other two occupants of the room.

"Will...w-we still get ice-cream...?" Shinji asks, and Rei elbows him in the ribs, causing him to wince slightly.

"Yeah, we will. It'll just have to wait until after lunch. I shouldn't be long in Eva." She chuckles slightly at the two. Glancing at the clock, she sees that it's now eight-thirty. "How about we start over to Nerv. Maybe if I get there early, Dr. Akagi will just start the test, and we can get going sooner. What do ya think?"

Both children nod and run to change and get their shoes. Asuka follows at a slower pace, though just as eager to get the test over with as they are to get ice-cream she feels a slight apprehension towards her Eva.

Asuka waits for them at the door. Soon, Shinji returns in his t-shirt and blue jeans, and is followed by Rei wearing a light blue sleeveless dress with a white fold-over collar. Putting on their shoes, stepping outside and walking to the elevator, they immediately notice the heat and humidity, and are glad to be in the cool elevator for the short ride to the ground floor. Leaving the elevator behind they set out at a walk for Nerv.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Upon reaching the base, Asuka has the children wait outside the girls locker room while she changes. Asuka checks the clock on the wall as she walks into the room and over to the locker which contains her Piloting items. It reads 9:20am.

As she pulls out her plugsuit she catches a glimpse of blue hair beside her, but when she snaps her head around to look, no one is there. After pulling on the plugsuit and pressurizing it, she places her clothes into the locker and closes it. On the front it reads:

**Asuka Langley-Soryu**

**First Children**

**Unit-02**

Turning, she walks out to find Shinji and Rei still outside and now sitting on the floor opposite the door.

"Come on, we'll go to the control room and you can wait there 'til I'm done." She says as she turns down the hallway.

Nodding, the children follow her to the test control room. Stepping inside, Asuka walks over to a blond-haired woman in a white labcoat and calls out a hello. Turning, Ritsuko glances at the clock before smiling slightly, but then frowning as she spots the children following Asuka in.

"What are they doing here? This isn't the place for little children." she says, sounding annoyed as she steps away from the console she'd been at.

"Because I brought them, that's why." Asuka snaps, stepping in front of the children to get Ritsuko's attention. "Can we just start the test? Then we can get out of your hair faster."

"Fine." Ritsuko huffs, and walks over behind a brunette at one of the consoles, "Maya, would you watch them for me? I can cover your station for a simple re-activation test."

"Yes, sempai." Maya stands and move to the kids, smiling, as Ritsuko takes her now vacant chair. "Do you two want a soda?"

"No sodas!" Asuka says as she leaves the room, heading to the entry plug. Rei and Shinji sigh as Maya jumps slightly, before all three chuckle quietly.

"How about some juice then?" Receiving nods, Maya has them stand near an inactive console as she goes to get their drinks.

While she's gone Asuka reaches her entry plug and gets in, ready to get it over with, as her apprehension has yet to go away. As the plug fills with LCL she realizes the Commander wasn't there.

"Hey, Akagi," she calls over the comm once the plug is full, "Why isn't the commander here?"

"Commander Fuyutsuki had to attend a meeting with the UN commanders for this area. More posturing on the part of the military." Ritsuko says, sounding annoyed.

"Like we even need them. Eva can handle anything the Angels might throw at us, and they would only get in my way." Asuka declares, confident and not a little proud sounding.

"That may be, but they still pay most of our bills, so we should humor them." Akagi said, smiling before returning to being serious, "We're now starting the activation."

Glancing at the read-outs, Ritsuko begins calling out orders to the other techs as Maya walks back in and hands Shinji and Rei their juice boxes. They stand back and watch as power is transmitted to Unit-02 and the Absolute Borderline is reached, and past, and Asuka begins a short synch test.

As the screens clear after she passes the Borderline and she can see the inside of the Cage, Asuka again feels that slight tingle at the back of her mind, like she always does during a synch test. Faintly remembering a part of her dream, Asuka wonders about reaching for it, but her sense of apprehension keeps her from doing so.

After what seems like a few hours, but is really just one, Ritsuko opens a comm window.

"Alright Asuka, we have all the data we need for now. You can eject now. Come to the control room before you get ready to leave." she says.

"Finally! Took long enough." Asuka grumbles in return, before closing the window and ejecting the plug as her Eva shuts down. Exiting the plug, Asuka jogs to the control room to find Shinji and Rei giggling with Maya at a nearby console.

Walking over to Ritsuko, who is continuing to check readouts and hitting keys, Asuka stops a few feet away before Ritsuko turns to her.

"Well, obviously the Eva re-activated without any problems," she starts, before Asuka interrupts her.

"Obviously. What was my score? I want to shower and get going."

"You scored 51 percent. A three point increase over your last test in Germany before you arrived here two days ago. Good job." Ritsuko finishes, giving Asuka a wave to show she's dismissed as she turns her attention back to the console.

Smiling, Asuka walks over to Maya and the children, all of whom are smiling while waiting for her. Shinji holding a paper, and Rei her juice box.

"Alright guys, time to go. I just have to shower first, then we can go grab something to eat. I don't know about you, but I'm getting a little hungry." she says. The kids smile and nod before leading her out of the room, Maya smiling at the children and Asuka as they leave.

They walk down to the locker room, and this time she has them wait just inside the door. She turns before entering the shower room.

"No peeking Shinji." she teases him, pretending to glare, before disappearing into the shower room.

"He would not peek!" Rei says forcefully as Shinji stammers something along the same lines.

After a quick shower, Asuka drys and dresses in the shower room, before coming back out and finding Shinji and Rei sitting on the bench under the clock opposite the lockers, playing tic-tac-toe on the sheet of paper Shinji had been holding earlier.

"Ok, let's go get lunch!" she says, see the time is now nearing eleven-thirty, then leading the two out of the locker room and out of the Geofront.

_____________________________________________________________________________

"Okay, what do you guys want to eat?" Asuka asks, glancing down and to both sides, making sure Shinji and Rei heard her. Rei glanced off, shrugging, and Shinji looked up to her.

"Can... we have ice-cream yet?" Shinji asks innocently, causing Asuka to chuckle.

"No, Shinji, real food first, then ice-cream. How about some take-out?"

"Do you mean ramen?" Rei asks eagerly, "There is a ramen cart not far from the park."

"'Kay, I guess that'll work." Asuka grinned as a thought clicked, "And there are usually ice-cream vendors around the park, too." she chuckles at Rei, who blushes as she realizes Asuka had caught her.

So they head to the park, Rei seeming to find the ramen cart she wanted easily. Sitting down on the fold-out seats, they place their orders.

"I'll have the pork ramen." Asuka says, then glance beside her to Shinji and Rei.

"Vegetable ramen, please." is Rei's soft, but eager request.

"I'd like the chicken ramen, please." Shinji says.

After taking their orders, the owner ducks in back to start making their food. While they wait, Shinji pulls out the paper along with a pen, and plays tic-tac-toe with Rei. Asuka watches them as the scribble little X's and O's, Rei looking focused and Shinji concentrating.

After five minutes, it becomes obvious to Asuka that Rei is winning, and seems set on doing so every single time. Shinji groans as he loses again, just as the owner brings the bowls of ramen out, and quickly puts his paper and pen away.

Enjoying their meal in silence, they finish and Asuka pays, before they set out to find an ice-cream vendor. After walking for several minutes, Asuka begins to wonder if there are any at all, before Shinji spots one.

"There's one!" he says excitedly, before grabbing Rei's hand and running towards it, with Asuka jogging behind them. Reaching it, he lets go and turns to Asuka.

"What do ya want?" she asks, pulling her yen pouch out, ready to pay for their frozen treats.

"Vanilla, please." Rei says, followed by Shinji's request for chocolate.

"And I'll have a strawberry ice-cream cone." Asuka says, then pays the woman next to the cart before taking Shinji and Rei's cones from her, and handing them their cones. Taking her's, they begin to walk home through the park.

Just as the apartment complex comes into view, the alarms sound and Asuka's cell begins to ring. Answering it, she hurries the children back in the direction of Nerv.

"Soryu." she says abruptly, and listens to an automated message telling her that all pilots are to report to the Cages. Hanging up, she wonders why the message would be plural.

_Not like they need more than me,_ She chuckles.

Reaching Nerv, she repeats earlier in the day, having the kids wait just outside the door as she quickly changes into her plugsuit, leave her clothes lying scattered on the bench, before darting back out of the locker room and leading them to the control tower.

"Look," she says, leading them out of the elevator onto the deck, right behind a seated Commander Fuyutsuki, "I'm gonna leave you two here with the Commander, so you have to keep quiet. Got it?"

Rei nods, looking slightly nervous, while Shinji is obviously worried as he glances at large hologram screen. On it is an image of the Angel, slowly marching through the mountains that surround Tokyo-3.

"Y-you'll be back, r-right?" he asks, and Rei takes his hand as she also looks to Asuka.

"Of course!" she says quietly, tapping Kozo on the shoulder, "Don't forget, I am the Great Asuka Langley-Soryu!"

Kozo sees the children and smiles before turning back to the screen, and the UN Commanders one deck down. Reassured, Shinji and Rei nod, then walk-over just behind and to the left of Fuyutsuki to watch the screen as well. Grinning at the image of the Angel, Asuka turns and runs to her Eva.

Reaching the Cage, she climbs into the command chair, or throne as it is sometimes called, and waits impatiently as it is lifted and placed in the entry plug. With the hatch sliding shut and the plug inserted into the Eva, Asuka waits for the plug to fill, and the UN to give up and let her deal with the Angel.

Grinning, Asuka prepares herself for her debut, the start of her career as the best fighter and pilot ever.


	3. Third Angel, Sachiel

**Neon Genesis Evangelion:**

_I'm Needed_

_By Devaro Ayanami_

**Disclaimer: I do not own NGE or any of its characters. I am not making any money, this is just for fun.**

**Thanks again to my Beta: SithKnight-Galen  
Kudos!**

Chapter 3

**Third Angel / Sachiel**

Once her Eva activates, Asuka opens the comm to Central Dogma, and receives a window saying sound only.

"The target has breached the coastal defenses and is proceeding through the outer districts, and will be in Line-of-Sight for Tokyo-3 in four minutes," one of the bridge-bunnies says, "UN forces are reporting zero apparent damage to the target."

"Of course it's not doing anything, its got an AT Field." Asuka grumbles, "Morons..."

"The UN is dropping an N2 mine on the target, prepare for electromagnetic pulse." another bridge-bunny says, "Shock-wave in seven seconds."

Through the Eva, Asuka feels a gentle rumble as the shock-wave reaches the base. After a couple minutes of silence from the bridge-bunnies, Asuka hears another report.

"External sensors coming back on-line, updating scans." a tech says, "Energy readings detected at the epicenter! Target has survived the blast!"

Several more minutes of status reports follow, including a note on the angel's regenerative ability, before one of the live cams hovering near it is destroyed.

"UN forces are pulling back, operational control has transferred to NERV."

"About time!" she says, before activating her end, "Hey Commander, I'm ready to go."

"The target is nearing the city limit, so we are deploying you near the edge of the city closest to it." Fuyutsuki says as his face appears on the window previously marked sound only, "Try to keep it there, or lead it farther out. But watch out for you power cable, you only have a kilometer of reach."

"Understood." Asuka says, "Ready when you say."

"Unit-02, launch!" Fuyutsuki's order sends Asuka and her Eva racing to the surface.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Unit-02 slams to a stop, its head seeming to nod up and down. Asuka looks out the through the screens and spots it just now coming into direct view of the city: The Third Angel.

_This one'll be easy! _She smirks, _It won't know what hit it!_

As she pushes the butterfly yokes forward, she feels something tug at her shoulders as the Eva jerks to a stop. Glancing at the shoulder pylons, she freezes when she sees the locking clamps haven't released.

"Pylon locks have failed to disengage! Attempting emergency release!" a bridge-bunny yells and Asuka feels something gently rumble through her shoulders.

"Exploding bolts have failed to release locking clamps!"

"Recover the Eva!" Kozo says, "We'll fix the problem from the launch bay! Get repair teams there now!"

The angel turns its gaze to Unit-02 as the platform begins to retract into the ground. Asuka feels like its gaze goes right through the Eva and straight to her.

_Crap, it sees me!_

Its eyes flash, and a burning punch slams into her chest, blocking everything from her mind and knocking the wind from her lungs.

The pain suddenly subsides, and Asuka can hear voices yelling at her as she looks around outside through the plug.

"Asuka! Asuka! Get up! The angel is heading straight for you!"

"Huh...? Commander?" she says groggily, "I'm... I'm fine."

_They must have cut down my synch..._

Realizing the restraints are gone, she stands her Eva up, turning to face the angel which stopped only a short distance away. They stare at each other, each waiting for the other to do something.

"I'm going for the kill!" Asuka yells, before shutting her comm. and activating her prog knife.

Drawing her knife from the left pylon, Asuka charged the angel and slammed into its AT Field. Growling she stabbed her knife into the field pressing it further and further, stretching the field inward. Suddenly, she loses half her sight as the angel snaps its hand forward and fires its arm spike, punching right through Asuka's AT Field and glancing off the right side of her Eva's head, destroying the eyes on that side.

Dazed, feeling like the side of her head is on fire, Asuka stumbles back from the blow. Seeing its chance, the angel jumps forward, crashing into Unit-02 and slamming it to the ground.

Squinting through her left eye, Asuka looks up to see only the left half of the plug showing visuals, but what they show is not what she wanted to see. The angel stood above her aiming its hand at her chest with its palm glowing. Rolling her Eva to the side, Sachiel barely misses with its arm spike and turns to follow Unit-02's escape.

Standing, Asuka growls, the pain in her head and chest flaring for a second, before she blocks it out and charges the angel again. Once more slamming into its AT Field, she drops her knife and punches her hands through the field, tearing it open. Slamming her right fist into its face, she knocks it back a short distance. As she goes to leap at it, the angel jumps into the air to try and land on her again, it's core glowing. As the angel starts to fall towards her, Asuka grins and readies herself to catch it.

Just catching the angel, Asuka drops to one knee and adjusts her grip, putting the angel's core above her right pylon. Snarling, Asuka double taps a switch on the right yoke labeled: SPIKE L.

The double brace of spikes slam into Sachiel's S2 Organ, the first cracking it and the second shattering it in an explosion as the already charged core detonates.

As the blast slams her into the ground and the heat of the flame washes over her, Asuka screams, before blacking out.

**AN:  
Yes, I know it's short. This is just the battle, and I promise the next chapter will be longer... I hope. lol  
Reviews and comments are most welcome!  
Keep Strong! ~DA**


	4. Wake up, School When?

**Neon Genesis Evangelion:**

_I'm Needed_

_By Devaro Ayanami_

_Beta read by SithKnight-Galen_

**Disclaimer: I do not own NGE or any of its characters. I am not making any money, this is just for fun.**

Chapter 4

**Wake up / School when?!?**

Light slants through the window to her left as Asuka slowly opens her eyes. Blinking slowly, she stares up at a sterile white ceiling.

_A Hospital…_

Glancing around the room, she notes the chair with her clothes sitting against the wall and the large window looking out over the interior of the Geofront. All but her clothes in pale, sterile colors.

Wincing at the slight pain moving her head has awakened behind her left eye, Asuka suddenly remembers the battle. The Angel leaping on to her, and her catching it. Then firing her shoulder spikes into it, and it blowing up while still draped over her.

Wincing again, this time at the remembered heat of the blast, Asuka notes the dimness of the sunlight coming in through the lenses in the Geofront ceiling.

_I Must have been out for a couple hours…wait, hours?!… The Kids!_

Asuka sits up quickly, but immediately regrets the action as the world swims around her and the slight pain behind her left eye transforms into a lance through her head. She discovers keeping that eye closed alleviates some of the pain, dimming it to a dull throb, and keeps it closed as she slowly swings her legs over the edge of the bed in preparation for stepping down so she can get her clothes. Pausing on the edge of the bed, Asuka notes the knee length hospital gown she is wearing, then notices voices outside her door. Looking up, she waits to see if it is someone coming to check on her.

The door soon slides open to reveal Shinji and Rei, who upon seeing her sitting there immediately dash to her, each grabbing hold of one of her legs. Following them in at a slower pace, but with gladness and relief on his face, is the Commander of NERV, one Kozo Fuyutsuki.

"Hey Shinji! Hey Rei! " she says, not too loudly, opening her left eye again despite the pain behind it and leaning slightly forward to place one hand on each small head, arching an eyebrow as they look up at her.

"See, I told you I'd be back," she says, her eyes losing focus slightly as a hazy memory from the dream plays through her mind, "I AM the Great Asuka Langley Soryu after all."

Shaking her head slightly, she winces at the slight pain behind her eye and refocuses her gaze on the two children's smiling faces, smiling in return. "Were you good for the Commander while I was sleeping?"

Both children nod emphatically, drawing a slight chuckle from Fuyutsuki.

"Children, if you could wait a moment in the hall, Soryu-san will be right out to take you home." Kozo says from near the door, having stood there since entering the room. Both children nod, and slowly release their grip and walk out of the room. After the door closes, Kozo turns back to Asuka.

"You are cleared to return home, Dr. Akagi could find nothing a good night's sleep won't cure." he says, "She tells me you were rather lucky you didn't suffer worse feedback from the blast, or from the damage to your Evangelion's head."

Asuka nods, remembering what she did feel of the blast before blacking out, and still feeling the phantom pain of the hits to her Eva's head.

"Also, be prepared to go to school tomorrow. You start-"

"What?!? School?!? I'm a college graduate for crying out loud! Why in the world do I need to go to school?" Asuka demands, interrupting Fuyutsuki. Frowning, he continues calmly.

"You start junior high at Tokyo-3 Junior High. You are going so you can become better adjusted to the culture here, and because it will allow you to make some friends and maintain some semblance of normalcy. Something which is lacking here around Nerv. Besides, your file notes your Kanji skills aren't the best." Kozo finishes with a chuckle.

"What about the children? I can't watch them when I'm training or stuck in here, so how am I gonna watch them then?" Asuka demands, attempting to distract from her failing, only to be met once again by Commander Fuyutsuki's calm response.

"They will be in the care of the Tokyo-3 Babysitters Club, a group of older teens and private tutors which have received high praises from several employees of Nerv. You will, of course be allowed and expected to check on them during breaks in training. The access to and near constant presence in Nerv is also convenient when we do not know when an Angel may attack."

Nodding her head in agreement, though still with an annoyed look on her face at having to go to school, Asuka stands and walks to the chair with her clothes. Still wrapped in the knee length hospital gown, Asuka picks up her clothes and walks slowly to the bathroom.

"I'll be right out Commander, but are you still sure about having me stay off base? Wouldn't it be more convenient," Asuka almost spits the word, "for me to stay here with the children?" Silence greets her query, and Asuka decides she doesn't want to hear whatever he may have to say.

"Can I just go straight home with the Children?"

"Yes. I have already signed the release forms." Kozo nods, secretly relieved at not having to answer her. "I will have the children waiting in here, and when you go there is a Section-2 car waiting to take you back to your apartment." so saying, Kozo steps over to the door.

Opening the door, Kozo finds both Children standing in front of the door, eager eyes looking up at him, silently asking to be allowed back in.

"Wait for Soryu-san inside. She'll take you home after she changes into her own clothes." he says, smiling, and then turns and walks down the corridor.

When Asuka leaves the bathroom in her jean shorts and red t-shirt, she finds both Children waiting for her on the bed, sitting there shoulder to shoulder and trying to not fall asleep.

_Busy day for them, _Asuka chuckles, causing the Children to look up, _I wonder if they'll be up to dinner or of they'll go straight to bed._

"Ready to head home?" she asks them, and both nod. Smiling, Asuka takes their small hands in hers and leads them out of the room and down the corridor.

* * *

Asuka looks around the empty train, the orange glow of the setting sun giving it a surreal quality.

_Sure has been a long day… _she muses, her gaze landing on the chair opposite her, and she blinks. _How long has she been sitting there…?_. Sitting opposite her is a girl around her age with pale blue hair almost like Rei's, but to Asuka's surprise and unease this girl's eyes are red.

The girl looks her in the eye, as if searching for something. After what feels like several minutes, the girl blinks, her gaze becoming downcast.

"You do not remember…" she says quietly, a faint hint of disappointment in her voice. She then brings her gaze back up to meet Asuka's as she continues, "But that is unimportant now. Congratulations, Pilot Soryu, on your first battle. More will follow, each harder than the preceding one."

"Who are you?" Asuka asks when the girl pauses for a moment, standing and planting her fist on her hips, "What are you talking about? I already know there are more angels."

"Who… I-…" the question seems to startle the girl, her eyes filling with confusion and uncertainty for a moment before she seems to lock it away, "Call me… Lilith… it is what I am now."

"Ok, Lilith, what's going on here? Where am I? And where are Rei and Shinji?!" Asuka's voice slowly gains in volume as she asks each question, her hands curling into fists.

"A room, a space inside your mind hidden from your conscious mind. Here is where He often went before the End." Lilith says as she stands to face her, and Asuka can sense slight emphasis on 'him' and 'end'. "This is a safe haven, a place to plan and understand."

"What about Shinji and Rei?" Asuka demands again.

"You have merely fallen asleep on the couch. They are safe and sound where you left them: in bed."

"I guess my next question should be: why? Why is this happening? What do you want?" Asuka ask pointedly, though calmed slightly at hearing the Children are safe.

"This is… a gift… another chance." Lilith says, "He wanted it, and I have no choice but to grant it. I want nothing more than for it to end well."

"Is that all Wondergirl? Gee, I thought you weren't a doll." A voice sounding unnervingly like her own echoes from behind Asuka near the end of the train car. Turning, Asuka comes face to face with herself, dressed in her plugsuit with a bandage over her left eye.

"What? Never seen a ghost before? We see plenty of them in our dreams, 'Asuka'." the Plugsuited girl says.

"I am not a doll!" Lillith firmly states, at the exact same time that Asuka demands: "Who are you!?"

"Why, I'm you! Silly girl, how could you forget me?" dream-Asuka says, a small sneer on her face, "I'm why you exist. Without me you wouldn't be here."

"I don't know who you are, but you aren't me. I am Asuka Langley Soryu!" real-Asuka says, despite the sense of truth to dream-Asuka's words.

"So am I! We are the best Eva Pilot. We don't need anyone! Not Her, not Him, and not the Third either!" dream-Asuka argues, "Wonderdoll over there doesn't understand how to stand on her own two feet." she spits as she glares over real-Asuka's shoulder.

"I will not be alone any longer! He cares for us. Really cares!" Lillith argues back, "Why can't you accept that? Are you still so afraid of being hurt?"

"Shut up." real-Asuka says, suddenly feeling like she's arguing with herself. "Shut up, Shut Up! SHUT UP!"

"Asuka-chan!!!" A small voice screams, jerking Asuka out of the dreamscape, and her eyes snap open and look upon the worried face of Rei, and Shinji's fearful and tear filled eyes next to her.

"Wha-what is it?" she says, slightly dazed at the suddenness of her awakening and the volume of Rei's voice.

"Y-you were…screaming in your sleep… yelling sh-shut up over and over…" Shinji stutters, clinging tightly to Rei's hand.

Wincing, Asuka sits up and turns to face the two frightened children. Smiling faintly, hoping to calm them, Asuka pats the spot beside her on the small sofa. Both children hesitate only a moment before moving to sit beside her, Rei closest.

"I didn't mean to wake you. Sometimes I just have… bad dreams, that's all. Let's all head to our beds. I have to start school tomorrow, and you guys will have to be ready to go to Nerv's 'Sitter's Club until they get you in the School system here."

Both moan at the mention of school, but smile and follow Asuka out of the living room and to their own rooms, quietly talking with each other about what fun they might have in Nerv while they wait for school. Bidding them good night, Asuka tucks each in to bed before heading to her own bed, and hopefully a peaceful night's sleep.

_Maybe I _don't_ need them… But they _do_ need me, and I won't let them down, not like she did me…I'm _not_ her!_

Laying down, Asuka's last thoughts as sleep claims her are that she is not 'her', and that she hopes the children are ready for tomorrow.

----

AN: FINALLY! another chapter. Sorry for the long wait, but I've been stumped, busy, tired, and distracted. R L moving along once more, and me trying to drag my story along with me.


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